


The Man in the Sketch

by AuroraDefae



Category: Marvel
Genre: Gratuitous Star Trek References, Howard gave himself the serum and passed it on to Tony, Let Tony sleep, M/M, Soulmate AU, Steve's just been defrosted, post afghanistan
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-17
Updated: 2019-01-29
Packaged: 2019-10-11 12:19:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 4,384
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17446856
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AuroraDefae/pseuds/AuroraDefae
Summary: "You've been sketching your soulmate's face since you were old enough to hold a pencil, the drawing becoming more realistic through the years as the day you meet draws closer."A prompt photo floating around on Pinterest I liked. The only watermark says "shareimages.com"





	1. Chapter 1

_Private- do not look. Property of Steven Grant Rogers._

Private- do not look was written large on the inside cover of the sketchbook, reminiscent of a child’s want for privacy in their journal of crush stories and sloppy drawings.

When Peggy bequeathed some of Steve’s belonging to him upon learning he was back, she had told him to not look at any of it.

“Why would I even want to look at it?” He had asked as they sat in the sunny nursing home, and she had sighed.

“He was a good man, Tony.”

“Mmmh.” Tony replied, turning the dusty, smelly book over in his hands, running his finger along the worn edges of the pages peeking between the soft leather covers before throwing it carelessly into the box of nostalgia.

Pepper had had to drag him to the base where Steve was being revived, hauling the heavy box of belongings around dramatically before Tony grumbled that he could carry it, stalking into the base.

He technically didn’t need to even see the Captain, just give the box to one of the SHIELD medics assigned to him. The base was filled with cautious, awe-filled whispers, agents scurrying around in sporadic rushes.

Peggy had written STEVE ROGER’S BELONGINGS on the side of the box facing out, and an agent darted forward out of the rush. As they got closer, Tony wondered if they were even eighteen.

“Mr. Stark, Agent Mcpherson. Follow me. The Captain is settled into the close observation rooms down the hall.”

“As hard as this might be to believe, I do not want to see the great Captain America. Just take this.” Tony replied dryly, shoving the box at the agent, who blinked several times slowly before taking a steeling breath.

“The Captain has been asking to see Mr. St- your father since he woke up, and my SO would finally have something good to say about me if I helped him, and god, I really need something good on my file before I’m booted out of SHIELD.”

Tony looked at the agent’s nervous cheesy grin, sighing.

“Fine.”

-

As they got closer to the observation rooms, the agent had to be left behind because of security clearance. Tony left him about two doors in excitedly telling an annoyed older agent look what I did. look what I did.

“I don’t have this type of security clearance, you can just take this, right?”

The burly agent shook his head silently, entering a keycode and stepping aside as the door to the Captain’s rooms slid open.

-

A blonde head peeked over a large armchair in the sitting area turned away from the door, and Tony darted his eyes to the table right behind the chair. The Captain hadn’t appeared to notice him yet.

Walking as lightly as he could, holding his breath, Tony started towards the table, extending his arms to try to reach the table before he was noticed.

He was creeping out when a surprised hello sounded from behind him and he froze, considering darting to the door.

“Who are- oh my god, my stuff.”

The box was upended, and Tony felt himself turning around despite every fiber of his being telling him to get away.

The Captain was sitting on the floor, rummaging through the belongings scattered haphazardly around the table, slight tears in his eyes and a huge idiotic grin on his face.

“Thank you so much, I can’t beli- Holy shit.” The Captain looked up, quickly scanning Tony before his mouth dropped open and his face blanched, looking like he too wanted to run.

_“Holy shit.”_


	2. Chapter 2

  
“Yeah, I’m his son-”

The Captain quickly recovered from his shock, standing up and walking towards Tony, hand extended. Tony just stuck his hands in his pockets, the Captain’s hand hanging out awkwardly before he retracted it.

“Peggy and my dad hung onto a lot of your stuff, and she wanted me to give it back to you.”

“Uh, thank you. I thought it’d- all be gone.” He looked back at his stuff, fidgeting nervously.

Tony quirked an eyebrow. Was this his first conversation since then?

There was a beat of silence.

“I’m going to go-” He pointed over his shoulder, turning around to knock on the door to be let out.

“Did you look at any of it?” The Captain blurted out, and Tony turned slightly to see that his ears were turning pink. _What the fuck?_

“As weird as it may sound, the son of the great Howard Stark is not a fan, so no, I didn’t. Plus, Peggy said not to.”

“Thank god.” He dragged his hands down his face.

“Alright, I’m gone.” Tony knocked, the door opening, and he was just about to step through it when a hesitant hand touched his shoulder.

 

“I haven’t had anyone besides doctors to talk to since I -woke up? defrosted-”

 _Obviously_. Tony rolled his eyes before looking at his feet.

“-and I was- uh-”

Still in the doorway, Tony turned to look at him, his blush now spreading to his face.

“Do you have brain damage? Does he have brain damage?” he leaned back to look at the agent standing outside the door, who shrugged.

The Captain looked nervously between his belongings and Tony, growing brighter red by the second.

“Okay, what is up with you?” He stepped back inside, crossing his arms.

The Captain nervously licked his lips before walking painstakingly slowly to the table, picking up the sketchbook, walking back to stand in front of Tony. He opened it, leafing through the pages so Tony couldn’t see it, holding it by his face, glancing between it and him.

“I do not look that much like my dad, Captain. Are you done?”

“It’s you.”

“Brain damage. Great.”

“No, look.” the Captain held the book out, and Tony gave him a face, not looking at it.

The Captain shoved it into his chest, and Tony rolled his eyes before looking down at one of the last pages in the sketchbook.

He blinked a few times, looking down at his clothes and back at the sketch.

He fainted.


	3. Chapter 3

Steve had known that face he could not stop drawing looked kind of like Howard once he met him.

Bucky had always joked the man would be his fella, laughing at the odd clothing he was in and saying that’s just what he expected from Steve.

Peggy had thought it looked like Howard too when she found his sketchbook one day.

The Howling Commandos would joke when he got really still and quiet, excusing himself to go draw something privately across the room, intent on the drawing.

Something had just always felt so familiar about the man, Steve’s vision in his mind clearer with each day. Until one day, close to dismantling Hydra, the man’s face had become crystal clear. He didn’t need an eraser to draw that sketch, his lines sure until he was looking at the man as if he was in front of him.

There was so much pain in his eyes, yet so much strength. There was a curious glint there too. He was wearing a t-shirt, strange writing and symbols sprawled across it. His jeans were worn at the bottom and knees. A large grease stain went up his right arm, and some more was on his face. He was wearing odd shoes, the laces undone slightly.

The strangest part, though, was the light sitting square on his chest, the mechanism rising up slightly, shining through his t-shirt.

Steve had never really known what to think of the man and tried to dismiss it as imagination or someone he had seen before. He had seen thousands of people will touring, maybe he picked his features up randomly, imagination filling in the rest.

Until he looked up from his belonging to see the man breathing, the color of his cheeks, that crazy t-shirt and that light. He was real, as long as Steve wasn’t having a hallucination.

This man was related to Howard, was his son.

His face was so dynamic, millions of thoughts and expressions flickering across it. Mostly annoyance and that curiosity. When he tried to walk away, Steve’s heart had jumped into his throat. He _needed_ to know more, why this man from the future had haunted him his whole life. The man obviously did not want to learn more about Steve, and with desperation, he had shown the man that final sketch to make him stay, if even a bit longer.

Shock had given way to confusion, leading back to shock, his face becoming peaceful as he fainted.

 _Fuck_.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh my god, I'm really tired and my stomach really hurts......might have ended this chapter too abruptly but I'm going to try to take a nap.

Steve wasn’t exactly sure what he should be doing. Banging on the door to try to get a medic? Try to wake the man up? Wait for a bit? Was this organization watching him somehow and they’d send help?

 

He leaned over, making sure the man had a pulse, which he did. Steve sat back down, waiting. The light was right above his heart- was it his heart? The light was still and steady, shining through his shirt. 

 

The man. He hadn’t even gotten a name, for fuck’s sake. 

 

He swallowed nervously as a minute passed, the man’s face expressionless. Steve sat back forward to slap the man’s cheek to try to wake him up. 

 

His breathing sped up and he sat up immediately to get his bearings, his hand going to the light, which he glanced down at. He let out a deep, nervous breath, rubbing the mechanism before turning to Steve.

 

“How long?”

 

Uh. “Not very long,” Steve supplied.

 

The man nodded, letting out another long breath, closing his eyes, his hand still on the light. 

 

“Are you okay?”

 

The man opened his eyes, and Steve indicated the light.

 

“As long as the light is on in my arc reactor, I’m probably alive.” 

 

_ Arc reactor? _

 

The man tried to stand up, using the wall as support. Steve got a glare when he moved to help. “I’m fine.” The man bit out before he keeled slightly, and he hurriedly slid down the wall. 

 

“Do you need-”

 

“I’m fine. Do you want to explain why I’m in your sketchbook from World War II?”

 

Steve opened and closed his mouth a few times, unsure how to answer. 

  
  
  


“Fuck this.” The man took a small device out of his pocket, tapping the front of it before holding it up to his ear. 

 

Steve heard what sounded like a phone ringing coming from the device. That was a  _ phone _ ?

 

“Tony, I told you not to look-” 

 

He snapped up when he recognized Peggy’s voice, and the man- Tony- rolled his eyes at him.

 

“Your dumbass boyfriend showed me that sketchbook, and now he’s completely speechless. Did you do this on purpose?”

  
  


_ Don’t speak to her like that.  _ “Hey, watch your-” Steve flared up, and he heard Peggy sigh. 

  
  


“Yes, a SHIELD agent came by when he was discovered to be alive. I said I needed time to round it all up, and I organized with Pepper, such a lovely woman, Tony- to get you to take it. Also, hello Steve. It’s been impossible to get near you because of the technology barrier they put up.” 

 

_ Technology barrier?  _ Steve smiled thinly, nodding, Tony raising an eyebrow at him.

 

“He just nodded, by the way, I think that’s hello. I’d ask if the serum gave him the power to see the future, but crashing into the Atlantic and freezing himself for seventy years is too idiotic for that-”

  
  


_ Seventy years? They hadn’t told him it had been seventy years- the agents had just told him ‘future’ and explained cryostasis. That technology barrier. _

  
  


“Anthony-”

 

“Oh, come on, Aunt Peggy. The fucking sketch made me faint and now I’m stuck in the same room-”

 

“Edward- wait, are you okay?”

 

“A little light headed from shock, but the arc reactor is still going.”

 

There was silence, and Peggy sighed again. 

 

“Anthony, what  _ now _ ?”

 

Peggy sounding exasperated, and Tony looked up at the ceiling.

 

“Can everyone stop freaking out about me and tell me why I’m in the idiot’s sketchbook from seventy years ago in the clothes I’m wearing today?”

 

There was a pause.

 

“Tie your shoelaces and stop walking around covered in grease.”

 

“Peggy, I am not covered-” He looked down at his arm, looking at Steve and pointing at his face. Steve nodded again. “I have some on my face and arm, I’m not covered-”

  
  


“I don’t know, Tony.”

 

“Well, I’m not getting an answer out of Capsicle over here, I can bet you that-”

  
  


“I don’t know either,” Steve spoke up. 

  
  


“Great, he doesn’t know either.”  
  


“Anthony, drop the attitude.”

 

“It’s not attitude, Captain America is giving me mooneyes and I’m still light-headed so I can’t exactly escape.”

 

“I’m half-inclined to hang up and call Director Fury. I haven’t been in that building, is it horrible?” 

 

“Typical modern SHIELD.” Tony shrugged, going to stand up again, succeeding. “I just stood up, I’m leaving.”

 

“This conversation is by no means over, Anthony Edward Stark.”

 

“Okay, I’ll call you later.” He knocked on the door again.

 

“The last time you said that you had been up for 72 hours before you remembered and you could barely maintain a conversation.”

 

_ 72 hours? _

 

The door slid open and he walked out without a glance back, leaving Steve sitting on the floor in this room he was essentially locked in. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And security footage was invented in WWII for the Axis powers to watch their missiles, but it wasn't really a thing until later (1949)


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am running on four hours of sleep! I forgot my notebook for English today but was still able to remember the notes (and you know, drive to school.) If you like this, please go read "With These Marks" and tell me if it's becoming a train wreck.

“Sir-”

Even though he had turned off the loud rock music, the loud whirring of machinery drowned out Jarvis, and Dum-E tried to grab Tony’s arm, who just shoved him away before going back to the suit. 

Dum-E moved behind Tony, grabbing his shirt, flipping it partially over his head, and Tony set down his tools, twisting awkwardly to glare at Dum-E over his shoulder in the sudden silence. 

“Sir, now that I can get your attention, Fury sounds, well, furious and wishes to speak with you.”

 

Tony ignored him, wrestling with Dum-E to get his shirt back. 

“I am going to take you apart piece by piece, Dum-E, and that is not an empty threat, give it back-”

Dum-E freaking turned his eyepiece before letting go, and Tony pulled his shirt back down. 

  
  


“Sir-”

“What did I say when I got home?” 

“That you had a stressful experience returning the Captain’s possessions and that you wished to be left alone.”

“And?”

“Fury is being quite insistent.”

“Well, since Pepper apparently knew, did you know, J?”

“Know what?”

“You knew. You are also an ass-”

 

Dum-E loudly clicked his claw right by his face as if to reprimand him for getting mad at Jarvis and Tony took another swipe at him.

  
  


“Should I put Fury through?”

“Jarvis-”

“If you don’t answer, he’ll probably send an agent down.”

“Tell him I’m busy.”

“I tried, sir, he did not accept that.”

“I’m sleeping for the first time in- let’s say, 72 hours?”

“I doubt he’ll take that.”

 

Tony sighed, rubbing his eyes before flapping his hand at the ceiling. 

  
  


“Well Stark, I have you to thank for a disaster.” Fury stated without preamble.

“I didn’t do it.”

“I have security footage of you exposing Captain America to modern technology.”

“What’s up with that, anyway?” Tony went back to fiddling on his suit.

“We were going to slowly expose him to the future so as to not overwhelm him.”

“It was your agents who let me through.”

Fury loudly grumbled. 

“Hey think of it this way: now you can release him into the wild sooner.”

“The slow introduction was also designed to be a buffer to assess his mental state.”

“Look. I do not care. Blame Peggy and Pepper. Goodbye.”

 

He gestured for Jarvis to end the call.

 

“Are you certain?”

“Jarvis-”

  
  


“Do not hang up on me, St-”

  
  


The call ended. 

  
  


“Can I have my music back?”

“If you inform me to what is stressing you out.”

“Music.”

“Information.”

“Music.”

The AI - and the room - stayed quiet. 

“Jarvis, please.”

“I was not a conspirator, sir.”

“I don’t believe you.”  
  
  


Dum-E angrily clicked at Tony again.

  
  


“You two are ganging up on me.” He dropped his face in his hands.

“Your vitals were a little off when you arrived back.”

“If I tell you, will you leave me alone?”

“Most certainly. Until I determine you need rest or food.”

“You mess with that algorithm all the time.”

“I am coded to look after you, Sir.”

 

Tony eyed Dum-E, who rolled towards him.

  
  


“Fine. I was in Cap’s sketchbook from WWII in my clothing today.”

 

Jarvis was quiet for a moment.

 

“Sir, how is that possible?”

“You tell me. I fucking fainted.”

“Oh dear. I should revise that algorithm.”

“That is not why I told you.”

“You should eat at least 700 calories within the next four hours.”

“Fine.”

“A peace offering.”

  
  


His music came back on, and Tony rolled his eyes before going back to his suit.


	6. Chapter 6

“Should we break down his barricade, Director?”

Fury was standing with his hands behind his back, a number of agents grouped around him as they stared at the furniture stacked behind the sliding door to the Captain’s room.

“Sir?” The agent repeated timidly, and Fury huffed.

“That’s likely to make it worse. Who has he been receptive too since he was revived?”

“Only Mr. Stark, sir.”

“Then drag him here before this escalates.” He turned on his heel, walking down the hallway.

 

-

 

“Fury wants me to do WHAT?”

Jarvis had just gotten off the phone with Fury, reluctantly waking Tony up from where he had collapsed in exhaustion on the couch of the workshop only three hours ago.

“The situation with the Captain has escalated. You are the only one he has been receptive to since his revival four days ago.”

“Jarvis, how much sleep have I gotten in that same time period?”

“This is your first time sleeping in four days minus when you passed out briefly seven times in total, not including when the Captain’s sketch made you faint.”

“And you woke me up?”

“I will tell Fury to keep me updated, but the base is approximately an hour away.”

“The Captain can rot for all I care, J.”

“Recent events point toward the direction that the world needs an organized network of superpowered individuals.”

“The world was doing fine before he was even found. Plus, it has me.”

“You may not be enough sir.”

“Excuse you?”

“There are several crises happening simultaneously worldwide, even you cannot be in multiple places at once.”

“Is that a challenge?”

“Sir, we are not avoiding this topic.”

“Jarvis, sleep.”

“Very well.”

 

-

 

 _God fucking dammit_.

 

Tony had spent an hour tossing and turning on the couch, unable to fall asleep.

 

“Jarvis?”

“The situation has gotten worse.”

“Do I really have to go?”

“The sketch does suggest something significant to why he has only talked freely with you.”

“Something significant?”

“SHIELD transport is waiting outside.”

“What?”

“They were ordered to drag you to the base, but chose to not interpret it literally.”

“Terrific.”


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> same tony

“Listen, Cap. I was woken up from the only sleep I’ve had in four days- three hours, by the way- to get you to stop your drama so can you stop being a brat so I can go pass out again?”

 

Tony was met with only silence, and he turned to the agents around him. 

 

“That’s good enough, right?”

 

One of them shook their head. 

 

“Listen, you bitch, I am too exhausted to properly stand up, much less be dragged out of my home, much less dragged onto a SHIELD base-”

 

There was a small noise of commotion, and Tony looked back at the agent, raising his eyebrows.

 

They shook their head again, nervously.

 

Tony pushed himself off the wall he had been leaning on, assessing the barricade before pushing the table with all his weight, a small space opening up. A louder sound came through this time, but not a voice.

 

“Listen, if you do not come out of there soon, I will slip through your childish barricade and- I don’t know, just fuck- I was kidnapped and almost died and was rescued only, what, a week ago so I am going to do whatever threat my body is capable of carrying out right now.”

 

Silence.

 

“Are you seriously calling my bluff, you fucking idiot? That really happened, by the way, that’s why I have an arc reactor in my goddamn chest.”

 

Silence.

  
  


“Are we sure he’s not just passed out?” Tony turned to the agent again.

 

“He figured out what security cameras were and destroyed them.”

 

“The caveman figured out technology?” 

 

The agent shrugged. “You need to go in. Just don’t inflict bodily harm.”

 

“I honestly doubt I am capable of anything right now.” 

  
  


He pushed himself off the wall, one of the other agents grabbing his elbow when he swayed, guiding him to the hole he had made, helping him slide through.


	8. Chapter 8

Tony got through only to promptly fall down.

 

That was fine.

 

It was completely fine, the carpet was softer than he expected, and he sniffed, melting into the floor. 

  
  


“Tony?”

 

Just when he was getting peace and quiet. He opened a bleary eye to see Steve crouching in front of him.  “He speaks.” 

“Is all the world this crazy?”

Tony grunted. 

“Why are you not in a hospital?”

“-tuff to do.”

“What could be more important than your health?”   
  


Tony fumbled trying to get into his pocket, pulling out that device - his phone, pressing on it before setting it down.

  
  


“Sir?”

Tony grunted again.

“Oh dear. One grunt for yes, two for no. Understood?”

Tony grunted once as Steve looked on confused. 

  
  


“Who are you?”

“Captain America? The voice print matches.” 

  
  


Tony grunted again.

  
  


“Captain, sorry to impose, but how is he?” 

“He’s laying on the floor grunting instead of speaking, he should be in a hospital.”

There was a pause.  
  


“Is his arc reactor on?” 

“That- that’s the light in his chest?”

“Yes, Captain.”

“He’s laying on his stomach so I don’t know.” 

 

“Is he unconscious?”

  
  


“I'm here, J.”

“How is your heart?”

“Whole.”

“Can you form a coherent, complex sentence?”

Tony puffed out a long breath. “Yes, I can. Takes effort though.” 

“Sorry, Captain, he’s usually more functional with sleep deprivation than he appears to be now.”

 

“Jarvis."

An odd sigh came through the phone and Tony rolled his eyes before pushing himself up, arms shaking. 

  
  


“How are you- how is he functional?” Steve addressed the phone.

“That’s- sensitive, sir.”

“Howard wouldn’t let his own son volunteer to get the serum,” Steve stated as Tony looked on bleary-eyed but focused. 

  
  


The voice went silent.

  
  


“Jarvis, was it?”

Another odd sigh, almost mechanical. “Yes, sir. I am Sir’s artificial intell- I’m a computer of sorts.” 

“You’re not a person?”

“Organically, no.”

  
  


“Jarvis, shaddup.” Tony reached for the phone, Steve just pushing it away.

  
  


“Jarvis.” Steve started as Tony glared at him. “Please tell me Howard did not let his own son volunteer to get the serum, because he should not be alert right now unless he has it.”

There was a long pause, and Steve was just opening his mouth to ask again when Jarvis replied.

“It wasn’t voluntary, sir.”

  
  


“What?” Tony blinked a few times.

  
  


“The only reason he survived his kidnapping, torture, open-heart surgery, and the desert is because Howard injected himself.”

“Shit.”

“Captain?”

“He just fainted again.”

“Oh dear.”


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short but I kind of lost my vision today, possibly from sleep deprivation. (Not blind just, weird. Driving was scary.)

Tony woke up flailing as his heart jumped into his throat and he prepared to fight. 

Lights slowly came on, and he sat back down on his bed, staring at his reflection in the windows of Malibu, blue light bright. 

“Jarvis?”

“Good evening, sir.”

Tony deflated at his voice. “How long was I out now?”

“Six hours, probably a combination of shock and exhaustion.”

“How did I get home?”

“I informed Fury that you had learned the secret, and convinced him to release the Captain, who brought you home.”

“Secret?”

“You don’t remember?”

“Adrenaline and actual sleep is making my mind foggy, J. What secret?”

“Perhaps it is best you do not remember.”

“Please tell- Captain America  _ brought me home _ ?”

“He’s in one of the guest rooms. I figured his psyche was not going to be improved in that building.”

“You brought Captain America here?”

“We should figure out how he drew you seventy years before he met you, in case space-time is compromised.”

“Alright, Captain Braxton. Can I go to my workshop without being ambushed by him?”

“He has been worried about you.”

“I don’t fucking care. Am I clear?”

“No.”

“Are you trying to keep me out of the workshop or telling the truth?” 

“You have spent ninety percent of the time since you’ve been back in there and five percent out doing vigilantism. The other five percent is when I can get you to eat or you’ve actually left the house.”

“I made a mess, I need to clean it up.” 

“What’s the last thing you remember from before you passed out?”

“You were annoying like you are now. What is this secret you’re so worried about?”

“I’m scared to tell you, in fear you may faint again.”

“Jarvis, I’ve had a rough couple of days, but I am stronger than you’re giving me credit for.”

“That’s exactly the problem, sir.”

“What?"

“I will let you go to your workshop if you promise to eat something.”

“Now you’re being agreeable. Do I have to overhaul your coding?” 

“I’ve been running frequent self-diagnostics.”

“I’m going through your code.” Tony stood up, stumbling to his dresser, picking up his pad. 

“Please don’t.”

“Tell me the secret then.” 

“Sir-”

Tony pulled up the program with Jarvis’ code, scanning through the sections.

“You have the serum.”

He stopped, frozen, memories coming back.   
  


“ _ I have the serum _ ?”

“Indeed. When Fury learned you had created me and trusted me to keep a secret, he sent me all of your father’s research.”

“His research?”

“There is a reason he continually compared you to the Captain.”

“I was a fucking lab rat?”

“Unfortunately.”

Tony exited out of Jarvis’ program, looking down at the screen. “Can I see his files?”

“I would advise we take this slow. I alerted the Captain you’re awake and he’s on his way.”

“Why?”

“He is an expert.”

“Tell him to meet me in the kitchen, I’m starving.”


End file.
